Nature, Necessity, and Methodological Principles of Iranology

Iranology is one of the new academic disciplines in the realm of human sciences which has been recently launched in some universities. The curriculum of this field consists of various courses on history, geography, archeology, literature, mythology, folklore, economics, etc., which demonstrates its interdisciplinary nature. Presenting a preliminary definition of this field and introducing its nature, purposes, subject, and methodological principles are among the most important problems which demand further discussion. Accordingly, the present study aims to respond to a number of fundamental questions regarding the necessity and purposes of Iranology and the importance of various related methodological approaches through collecting the required data from authentic sources and resorting to empirical studies in this field. The findings of the study demonstrate that, following an interdisciplinary approach and a multi-dimensional perspective, Iranology provides a more comprehensive knowledge of the problems related to Iranian culture and civilization. However, achieving this important purpose and attaining correct epistemological knowledge depends, to some extent, on adopting an efficient and appropriate methodology. Hence, having an accurate understanding of methodology in criticizing the views and works of foreign Iranologists and obtaining a more realistic knowledge of Iranology is of great significance.